Lani smiled at L.Joe as she joined him on the couch. He opened his arms for her and she easily slid into his embrace. Just as she was getting comfortable, her phone rang from the kitchen table where she had left it. She gave L.Joe an apologetic look before shimmying out of his hold and rushing to the table.

“Yeobosseo?” she answered. “Um, okay, I’ll be right there,” she responded before ending the conversation.

L.Joe just stared at her from the couch with curious eyes.

“Uh, I’ll be right back,” was all Lani said as she slid on her shoes and exited the apartment.

She headed down the elevator until the doors opened to the lobby. She stepped out and as expected, he was standing awkwardly on the other side of the room. Lani’s footsteps moved quickly as she approached him.

“Woohyun oppa, is everything okay?” she asked worriedly.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” he said trying to convince himself let alone Lani.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“Can we… go somewhere more private to talk?” Woohyun’s eyes shifted around the open lobby as few people walked passed.

“Sure, follow me.”

The two rode the elevator in silence as it came to a stop on the third floor. Woohyun followed closely behind Lani as they made their way to her apartment.

“Um, can you wait here for a second?” she asked.

Woohyun just nodded and stood awkwardly as he was doing in the lobby while Lani slipped into her apartment.

“What was that all about?” L.Joe asked once Lani had entered.

“Well…Woohyun oppa is here and he wants to talk to me, so do you think you can wait in the bedroom?” she replied.

“Sure,” L.Joe said, hiding his suspicions behind a small smile. He got up and disappeared through the doorway.

Lani returned to the door and let Woohyun in. He cautiously walked in and looked around. Woohyun took off his shoes and joined Lani at the kitchen table.

“Your apartment’s nice,” Woohyun commented as he gave her a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his neck.

“Thanks,” was all Lani could think to say. The way Woohyun was acting confused her. He was usually cheerful and outgoing, it wasn’t normal for him to seem nervous. “So what’s going on?”

“I took your advice.”

Lani tried to think back at what exactly he was talking about and what advice she had given him.

“I broke up with her,” he continued, “I realized she was no good for me. I always felt unhappy around her and we argued way too much. So I did what you said. I left her, so we can be together.”

Lani’s jaw dropped and she looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. She couldn’t find the words to say. In the same moment, she heard footsteps approaching from behind her. She turned her head to see L.Joe standing there with a torn expression on his face.

“What are you talking about?” L.Joe hissed through his teeth.

“L.Joe! It’s not what you think,” she desperately tried to explain.

“Why is L.Joe here…?” Woohyun who was clueless asked.

Lani ignored him and turned her attention back to L.Joe. “L.Joe, it really isn’t what it sounds like! I advised him to leave his girlfriend for someone who’d treat him better!”

“You mean you?” L.Joe spat in rage.

“No! I didn’t say that!” she argued back.

L.Joe glared at her before grabbing his coat off the couch arm and striding out the door.

“L.Joe wait! Byunghun!” she pleaded.

Woohyun sat in silence as he watched the catastrophe unfold before his eyes. “But you said…” Woohyun trailed off as his thoughts wandered through his mind.

“No I didn’t!” Lani shouted.

“You told me to leave my girlfriend for someone who’d treat me better, you!” he argued back.

“I didn’t specifically say me! I said someone LIKE me!” Lani’s hands balled up into fist, but at the same tears welled up in her eyes.

She grabbed her bag and coat and ran out the door.

“Wait! What about-” Lani was already gone before Woohyun could finish his sentence.

 Lani’s steps were hasty as she searched the streets. She ran around like a mad woman, going up and down every block for any sign of L.Joe. Her legs were tired, and she was out of breath, but she refused to stop trying. The tears blurred her vision as she went down the familiar route to the company building. Once inside, she ignored anyone and everyone and went straight to the top floor. Her pace never slowed as she ran up the familiar flight of stairs and burst through the door. The wind hit her hard and stung her eyes. She looked around, but there was no sign of L.Joe to be seen. All she was faced with was the sound of the busy Seoul streets down below. With all her motivation gone, Lani’s shoulders slumped and she dragged herself back to the first floor. She couldn’t help but cry. She just wanted to ball like a baby, but she knew this was no place for that.

:O tsk tsk woohyun ~